


The Young Lady with the Frighteningly Good Aim

by Evian_99



Series: The Captain and the Goddess [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: BAMF Loki (Marvel), But he's trying to deal with it, F/M, Female Loki (Marvel), First Dates, Insecure Steve, Loki reveals her talent for knife throwing, Poor boy can't believe he's taking Loki out for a date, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Steve takes Loki to the fair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29486067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evian_99/pseuds/Evian_99
Summary: A tentative courtship begins. There’s a fair, a pink teddy bear and thief. While wandering the fairgrounds, they learn some interesting facts about each other and get up to some mischief.Or, at least, Loki does. Steve is too much of a goody two-shoes to do so.
Relationships: Loki/Steve Rogers
Series: The Captain and the Goddess [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965058
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	The Young Lady with the Frighteningly Good Aim

It is two days later that Steve finds himself nervously twiddling his hands in front of the apartment complex Lífdís lives in. Under the incessant nagging of Bucky, he has gelled his hair back and dressed in his very best clothes. It is the only set that he owns without any holes in it, and unfortunately hasn’t done much to make him feel any more confident.

He knows he is physicking himself out and he hates himself for it. All this thinking is doing him no favours whatsoever. He is aware of that, though still can’t seem to make himself stop. She is an enigma, strong and independent, though haunted, and vulnerable at the same time. She is stunning, way out of his league, and yet…

Yet he is allowing himself to dream.

Before he can truly lose his nerve, he rings the doorbell. There’s a flurry of noise upstairs, a window being opened and then he hears her voice: ‘I’m coming!’ He bites his lips, wrings his hands in nervousness, before straightening his back and trying to take Bucky’s tips to heart. Women like confident men.

Only—he doesn’t feel all that confident.

Nevertheless, he likes to think he does an acceptable job at it, putting an earnest smile on his face as she opens the door.

It takes all he has to not gape.

Lífdís is beautiful. She wears a white blouse, dark green pencil skirt and similarly coloured dark green coat lined with fur. Despite the coarse looking fabric, the clothes are tailored to fit her perfectly, making her look like a lady of high standing. Her body language unconsciously gives that image further strength—it is clear she has been raised in circles far above his own.

He can feel whatever little nerve he had vanish like freshly fallen snow.

Swallowing, he desperately tries to think of something to say. His cheeks burn when he stammers something akin to ‘you look beautiful’, and promptly tries to stare a hole into the ground.

Lífdís, bless her soul, laughs merrily. She gives him a quick peck on the cheek, winking, as she links her arm in his. ‘You look rather dashing yourself’, she says as they start to walk towards the city centre. 

Despite the cold, there are dozens of people out and about. The NY State Fair is the biggest event in January, drawing thousands of people all over the East Coast. Steve loves watching the bustling crowds, always choosing some place to sit and sketch.

A pale sun has broken through the clouds, shining straight down onto Lífdís. His fingers itch to draw her, to immortalise the picture of her beauty for him to cherish after she inevitably leaves him for someone more deserving.

His misery at the thought must’ve shown on his face as she gently squeezes his linked arm. ‘You know, I’ve never been to a fair before,’ she opens the conversation as they round the block to enter Central Park, ‘we didn’t have them where I grew up.’

Her face is glowing with excitement as they walk underneath the archway giving entrance. The metal beam is decorated by dozens of flickering lights, loud music blasting in welcome. 

They pass by a man selling balloons, his silly acts to tempt parents to buy one for their kids bringing something of a wistful smile on her lips. Steve wonders what she is thinking. For all the secrets they shared that night, he knows it’s merely the tip of the iceberg.

‘Just wait when we get to the rides. The sets are amazing. Whenever I’m out here with my sketchbook I can spend hours just watching people try all of them.’ 

He chuckles. ‘Once there was this big, muscled man acting all tough. He had a girl with him who he was obviously trying to woo, but she wasn’t much impressed by him.’ Leading Lífdís past the haunted mansion, he points to a cardboard cartoon figure. ‘He looked a little like that, actually.’

Steve can listen to her laugh for hours. Beyond ecstatic that she seems to like his story, his smile nearly splits his face when she speaks.

‘I’m not much impressed by big muscular men either. They’re always so arrogant and full of themselves. It’s like they’re more obsessed with how their bodies look in the mirror than that they care to act like a gentleman.’ She leans into him to avoid two loudly cursing men.

As she places her free hand on his shoulder a little voice in his head screams at him to not make a fool of himself. Her eyes are directed up, to the little carts slowly moving along the Ferris wheel. ‘Did you know I have a deep, irrational fear of heights?’

‘I now do’, Steve tries to keep his voice politely interested, slowly forcing himself to calm at her closeness. _He can do this_ , he whispers inwardly, he won’t mess up their date.

Lífdís giggles, tilting her face ever so slightly down to peck him on the cheek. ‘It’s such a silly story.’ 

Even though her acting is superb, Steve isn’t fooled. Deep within her unfocused gaze there’s a deeper trauma. One he won’t address. He will just support her and offer a listening ear.

‘I am the younger of two siblings, and when I was little, they would never allow me to join in with their games.’ They slowly weave through the thick crowds, taking in the sights of dressed up performers dancing their way around the fairgrounds. 

She is speaking softly, but not soft enough that he has to strain to hear her. ‘I remember one time where they actually let me after I badgered my mother. We would be playing hide and seek.’

Steve winces, placing his hand over hers. ‘Although not with siblings, as I have none, I share your pain. They forgot about you, didn’t they?’

Lífdís looks at him. Her facial expression is surprised before it softens with understanding. ‘They did,’ she whispers, gaze turned to the ground, ‘I spent the entire evening in that tree before our nanny found me. I was so cold it took me hours to warm up again.’

‘I can see how you would develop a fear from heights from that.’ They continue walking in silence for a little while. It feels right, not at all awkward. He hopes she is enjoying herself as much as he is.

Eventually they stumble upon a collection of stands where one can play all sorts of games, from trying to hit bullseye with bow and arrow, to toppling a mountain of tin cans. An exited grin appears on Lífdís’ lips as she pulls him into the direction of a stand with blunt throwing knives.

She is about to say something to him when they’re bowled over by a running man. ‘Stop the thief!’ someone screams. Steve tries to keep them upright, but he’s thrown too much off balance. In a desperate attempt to take the brunt of the fall, he tries to maneuver Lífdís to his front.

Her long limbs make that impossible and they end up in a tangle of arms and legs. Knowing his head must be beet red, Steve tries to disentangle them while apologising profusely.

Lífdís just starts to laugh hysterically. ‘Relax,’ she says, eyes filled with mirth, ‘Thank you for trying to catch me. Thieves rarely have manners.’ She bites her lower lip as Steve finally manages to get loose.

She takes his hand and soon enough they’re both on their feet again. ‘Are you hurt?’ He wills his cheeks to cool, but he knows it’s a futile hope.

‘No,’ she takes his hands in hers, ‘Are you?’

Steve shakes his head with some nervous laughter. Feeling rather off kilter by their fall, he struggles to find his cool. Luckily Lífdís doesn’t seem to pick up on his trouble, or she is just polite enough to pretend she doesn’t. After brushing the dirt from her skirt, she links her arm back in his and pulls him along.

_You can do this_ , he tells himself, _don’t mess up_.

A young girl is crying at the knife-throwing stand. Her father is arguing with the vendor, loudly talking about how the other should do the proper thing and give the girl a replacement for her stolen teddy. He looks desperate, almost begging the burly man the longer he keeps on refusing him.

‘I will show you one of my secret talents,’ Lífdís suddenly says as she drags him along, ‘I am going to win that girl her teddy back.’ It’s clear she feels pity for the little girl—Steve does at least, but he doesn’t have the throwing skills to be of any assistance.

Curious to see what she will do; he walks her to the stand. He keeps quiet, content at watching the show unfold. The look he saw in her eyes is one of pure mischief.

‘If you refuse to act like a gentleman, kind Sir, I feel obligated to intervene.’ Lífdís feels around in the pocket of her skirt, slapping a few crumpled banknotes on the stand. She then kneels in front of the little girl, asking: ‘What plushie do you want, Sweetie?’ Leaning a little closer to whisper in her eyes, Steve vaguely can make out something along the lines of: ‘Let us show the mean man who’s boss.’

The girl giggles, pointing at a big pink teddy. Standing up again, his date asks the man what she should hit to win it. He feels himself become angry at the man’s cocky blustering, telling her she should let the men do the job and that surely such a dainty lady shouldn’t dirty her hands like that.

Steve almost feels sorry for the man. When a lady narrows her eyes like that, you should beg on your knees for forgiveness.

‘If only men can do it, surely it will merely be easy cash for you, no? Any good salesman would accept my money.’ Her back is ramrod straight, not losing eye contact with the guy.

It’s becoming difficult to hide his smile.

After some more posturing, the man finally does acquiesce. He hands Lífdís three knives and explains which boards she should hit dead centre to win the main prize. He watches in fascination as she feels the balance of the knives, seeing her face distort in disapproval.

‘Very well’, she says, voice polite yet insulting. Steve feels his admiration for her increase by the second as she inspects the targets she must hit. Then, she lifts her arm and quick like a viper throws the first knife.

Bullseye. 

The vendor’s smug smile disappears, and the little girl squeals with excitement. Cheering her on, Lífdís raises her arm once more and throws her remaining knives in rapid succession.

All hit their target, buried hilt-deep in the wood.

Despite having all the reason to be smug, Lífdís accepts the bear from the vendor with grace. Kneeling to the girl’s level, she hands her the teddy. ‘Just like promised’, she says. She makes polite conversation with the father for a little bit, accepting his words of thanks before linking her arm back in Steve’s. ‘Have a wonderful day.’

They wander around the fair for some hours longer. Steve treats her with peak New York food, feeling delighted that she is unfamiliar with it.

He doesn’t think he’s ever felt so happy.

Unfortunately, the day inevitably reaches its end. Walking her home, the blond feels the awkwardness return. He would give a lot to not let this day end.

Lífdís kisses him on the cheek. She is glowing with happiness, which does all sorts of things to Steve’s heart. ‘We should do this again soon. It’s been so very long since I’ve last enjoyed myself like this.’ Ecstatic that the feeling is mutual, he just smiles like a fool until they reluctantly part ways.

As he finally turns his back to the apartment complex, Steve walks home as if on a pink cloud. They will meet in the park coming Thursday for a picnic, and he’s already planning for it.


End file.
